It is the designated number the public dials in the event of an emergency: 9-1-1.
Throughout the state, public safety dispatchers with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) answer nearly 20,000 calls for assistance every day.
As a law enforcement agency with approximately 900 dispatch personnel, the CHP knows these highly trained professionals are the first line of defense and play a critical role in saving lives.
To honor the dedication and lifesaving efforts of 9-1-1 professionals everywhere, the CHP joins with the U.S. Congress in recognizing April 14-20, 2013, as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
“Our dispatchers and emergency call takers are handling the vast majority of the state’s wireless 9-1-1 calls, ensuring appropriate assistance is quickly provided to those in need,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “These caring professionals are also an important resource for officers in the field, providing valuable information to them during the course of their daily duties.”
With 25 communications/dispatch centers statewide, the CHP handled approximately 9.2 million calls for service last year, 7.1 million of which were wireless 9-1-1 calls.
In addition to recognizing the hard-working public safety communicators, the CHP offers the following tips as a part of National 9-1-1 Education Month:
- Be prepared to provide your name, telephone number, address or location, and a detailed description of the incident being reported.
- Listen carefully and let the dispatcher ask questions and guide the conversation.
- Answer questions clearly and calmly, and follow all directions provided by the dispatcher.
- Be prepared to provide a physical description if an emergency involves a criminal suspect.
- Wireless telephones may not tell the call-taker where you are. Use a landline to report an emergency whenever possible.
- Remember, 9-1-1 is only for life-threatening emergencies. Misuse of the emergency 9-1-1 system is a crime and can result in a delay for callers with real emergencies.